Lakers Targeting Shooting Guard With Open Roster Spot?
Following an extremely active trade deadline which saw the Lakers acquire Luka Doncic and Mark Williams in separate deals, the team now has an open roster spot. Although Los Angeles isn’t in a rush to fill that vacancy, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on his live stream (YouTube link) that the Lakers seem to be leaning toward filling out their roster with another shooting guard.
“I’ve heard they’re going to be patient,” Buha said (hat tip to BasketNews.com). “They’re not in a rush to find that potential 15th player. They view the shooting guard spot as the current hole right now, so it seems that’s the type of guy they’re going to try to get.
“Just logically looking at the depth chart, they kind of have everything else. They don’t need a point guard, they have multiple wings that can play 30-plus minutes a night, they have a couple of centers. Looking at the roster and the layout of everything, they need another shooting guard, so I think that’s a direction they’re going to try to go.”
NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Thursday (via Twitter) that Lonnie Walker, who is currently playing for Lithuanian club Zalgris Kaunas, has an out clause in his contract and is a buyout candidate to monitor. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Walker has generated “considerable interest” from NBA teams (Twitter link).
Could a reunion with the Lakers be in the cards? Buha suggested (YouTube link) Walker’s defense might be a concern, and he’s not sure if he’s at the top of the team’s wish list. For what it’s worth, Josh Richardson, Jaden Springer, Seth Curry and Reggie Jackson were among the other players who were either brought up by Buha or asked about by fans.
“If they [Lakers] do add someone, it’s probably going to be a shooting guard, but maybe they end up just doing best player available and saying like, ‘Hey, we don’t love the shooting guard options. Let’s just get the best player.'”
Details On Warriors’ Pursuit Of Kevin Durant
Appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of ESPN provided some interesting details on the Warriors‘ “aggressive” pursuit of Suns star Kevin Durant, which included several different offers.
According to Charania, one three-team framework involving the Heat would have seen Phoenix acquire Jimmy Butler from Miami, plus Jonathan Kuminga, first-round picks, second-round picks and pick swaps from Golden State. However, once Durant made it clear that he wasn’t interested in returning to the Warriors, they instead pivoted and acquired Butler themselves.
The Heat had an opportunity to acquire Durant as well, Charania reports, but the Suns declined their offer of Butler and Josh Richardson.
Charania confirms the Timberwolves were among the teams who made offers for Durant after Golden State’s failed pursuit. ESPN’s Bob Myers said yesterday that the Grizzlies were in that group as well, though Durant also wasn’t interested in playing in Memphis.
Speaking to reporters today, including Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial appeal (Twitter link), Grizzlies head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said none of the stars that the team made offers for were moved prior to Thursday’s deadline. Kleiman also said Memphis wasn’t in on the Butler sweepstakes, Cole adds (via Twitter).
“I’m not sure why we were pulled into that in the first place,” Kleiman said.
Charania once again reiterated that Durant did not expect nor want his name to be involved in trade rumors this season. Plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported on Thursday that Phoenix would likely revisit Durant trade talks this summer, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst speculated on his podcast that Durant may be seeking a new destination this offseason.
Clippers Trade Kevin Porter Jr. To Bucks For MarJon Beauchamp
February 7: The swap is now official, according to press releases from the Clippers and Bucks. This was the last deadline-day trade to be processed, so all of this week’s deals have now been formally finalized.
February 6: The Clippers are trading guard Kevin Porter Jr. to the Bucks for forward MarJon Beauchamp, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Porter is a former first-round pick who played in Greece last season after multiple off-court incidents, including reaching a plea agreement for misdemeanor assault and harassment in January 2024 after allegedly attacking his girlfriend in September 2023. The Clippers gave him another NBA opportunity in July when they signed him to a two-year, minimum-salary contract. He holds a $2.55MM player option for 2025/26.
Porter is still under a league investigation for that September 2023 incident involving former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While the 24-year-old has been a rotation regular for Los Angeles, averaging 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal in 45 games (19.6 minutes), he has struggled with offensive efficiency (.423/.245/.645 shooting line) and turnovers (1.9 per game). The Clips have also been much better when he’s off the court (+5.4 points per 100 possessions) than when he’s on it (-1.4).
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Porter will earn a trade bonus of $129,245 as a result of the deal.
Beauchamp is another former first-round pick who has seen his minutes steadily decline over the course of his three NBA seasons, making just 26 appearances in ’24/25 for an average of 4.7 minutes per contest. The Bucks declined their rookie scale team option on the 24-year-old wing last fall, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. He’s making $2.7MM this season.
Hornets Sign Elfrid Payton To 10-Day Deal
12:50pm: Payton’s 10-day contract is now official, according to the Hornets. He was signed via the hardship exception, confirms Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
7:46am: The Hornets have agreed to sign free agent guard Elfrid Payton to a 10-day contract, agent Darrell Comer tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Payton, who had been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, caught on with the Pelicans in November on a non-guaranteed contract and was one of the feel-good stories of the fall.
The Louisiana native, who played in Puerto Rico and the G League while trying to make his NBA comeback, immediately jumped into the starting lineup for his hometown team and posted a 14-point, 21-assist, seven-rebound line in his third game back.
However, the former lottery pick (10th overall in 2014) was cut loose by the Pelicans in early December after the team started to get a little healthier. New Orleans was also concerned about its proximity to the luxury tax, which the franchise has never paid and wound up dipping below prior to yesterday’s trade deadline.
Payton, who turns 31 years old later this month, averaged 6.7 points, 6.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals in seven games with the Pels (20.3 minutes per contest), shooting 50.0% from the floor in his time with the team.
Payton also appeared in 14 NBA G League games this season with New Orleans’ affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, averaging 7.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 21.0 minutes. His shooting slash line was just .380/.190/.250.
While Payton has been a solid rebounder and play-maker throughout his NBA, he’s never been much of a shooter, with career marks of 28.7% from three-point range and 62.3% from the charity stripe. But the Hornets have a need for a backup point guard — they traded Vasilije Micic to Phoenix, and LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Tre Mann (back) are currently injured.
The Hornets were involved in multiple trades leading up to the deadline, but they did not create any roster openings, as their 15-man standard roster is currently full.
Charlotte shouldn’t need to release anyone to add Payton though — he could be signed using the hardship exception. Brandon Miller (shoulder surgery) and Grant Williams (torn ACL) are out for the season, Mann hasn’t played since November, and Josh Okogie is out at least a couple more weeks due to a hamstring strain.
Vasilije Micic Eyeing Return To Europe This Summer?
Much like fellow former EuroLeague Most Valuable Player Sasha Vezenkov, Vasilije Micic‘s career hasn’t gone the way he was hoping for since he decided to sign his first NBA contract in the summer of 2023.
After a long and highly successful career in Europe, Micic was ineffective in a limited role with Oklahoma City last season, and wound up being traded to Charlotte last February.
While the 31-year-old guard had some positive moments for the Hornets to conclude 2023/24, he was largely outside of their rotation to open ’24/25 before injuries gave him an opportunity for playing time.
He hasn’t played particularly well this season either though, averaging just 7.5 points, 3.5 assists (vs. 2.1 turnovers) and 2.4 rebounds on .348/.360/.829 shooting in 36 games (21.2 minutes per contest).
In addition to his inefficient and underwhelming offensive numbers, Micic often looks like the least athletic player on an NBA court — he has recorded zero blocks and only 15 steals in 764 minutes this season, per Basketball-Reference.
Charlotte ended up trading Micic to the Suns prior to yesterday’s deadline. He’s expected to be the third-string point guard in Phoenix, behind Tyus Jones and Monte Morris.
Micic is earning $7.72MM in ’24/25. The Suns hold a $8.81MM team option on his contract for ’25/26, but unless they use it for trade purposes, it seems very unlikely to be exercised.
With his NBA future seemingly up in the air, the Serbian guard has already contacted Anadolu Efes (Turkey) and Panathinaikos (Greece) about a potential return to Europe, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net.
Barkas clarifies that Micic has not begun formal contract negotiations, but he has made it clear that if he does return overseas, he wants to become the highest-paid player in Europe — that title currently belongs to Vezenkov.
There have been rumors that Micic has also contacted Crvena Zvezda of his native Serbia, but Barkas could not corroborate those reports. Still, he expects Micic to be highly in-demand amongst EuroLeague clubs if he becomes a free agent this offseason.
Jazz Waive Jalen Hood-Schifino
The Jazz have requested waivers on second-year guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, the team announced in a press release.
Utah acquired Hood-Schifino a few days ago in the Luka Doncic blockbuster, but obviously he wasn’t in the team’s plans. The news of him being released was first reported on Thursday. Veteran guard Josh Richardson is also expected to be cut by the Jazz.
Still just 21 years old, Hood-Schifino was selected No. 17 overall in the 2023 draft. He spent his first season-and-a-half with the Lakers, who decided not to pick up their 2025/26 team option on his rookie scale contract last fall after the former Indiana standout was limited to just 21 NBA games during his rookie campaign.
Hood-Schifino only appeared in two games this season with Los Angeles for a total of 14 minutes. He had been listed as out for the last two months due to a left hamstring strain.
While his NBA role was extremely limited, Hood-Schifino did put up some solid numbers in the G League last season, averaging 22.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds on .473/.432/.800 shooting in 15 games (35.4 minutes).
Assuming he clears waivers, which seems likely, the Jazz will carry a $3.88MM dead-money cap hit for Hood-Schifino and he will become an unrestricted free agent in a couple days.
Since he’s only in his second season, it’s worth noting that Hood-Schifino is eligible to sign a two-way contract in addition to standard 10-day and rest-of-season deals. However, he’s not eligible to return to the Lakers this season.
Suns Rumors: Durant, Booker, Deadline, Buyout Market, More
Several teams reportedly made “last-ditch efforts” to trade for Suns star Kevin Durant after a deal with the Warriors fell through when the former league MVP made it clear he wasn’t interested in returning to Golden State. Phoenix and Miami also reportedly discussed swapping Durant and Jimmy Butler before the Heat wound up trading the disgruntled star to the Warriors.
Where does that leave Durant’s future with the Suns? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed that topic on the latest Hoop Collective podcast, suggesting that Durant could be the one seeking an exit this summer after being caught off guard by seeing his name pop up in rumors.
“The prevailing thing from the trade deadline day was what didn’t happen, which was Kevin Durant stayed put,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “He was not happy he was put into trade talks.
“I think it’s unpredictable what will happen for the next few months because it’s the nature of the sport, but I think right now it is reasonable to forecast that Durant will be breaking up with the Suns in the summer. He didn’t break up with them today, but it doesn’t look good for the long-term forecast because he was really frustrated.
“I spent a long time today on the phone with people involved with this situation. People from Miami. People from Golden State. People from Phoenix. Other people. I would just say that the biggest thing Kevin Durant was upset about, I think, not knowing he was involved in trade talks. … Generically, a star player of his level likes to be involved in trade talks. That was an issue. The thing about it was the Suns ended up not getting anything (besides a salary-dump trade).”
For what it’s worth, a Suns source who spoke to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports pushed back on how available Durant really was on the trade market, even though multiple other sources confirmed to Bourguet that the Warriors deal was very close to being finalized.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- After his ESPN colleagues Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon advocated for Phoenix to trade Devin Booker to fully remake the roster in the summer, Windhorst said the four-time All-Star has a strong desire to remain with the Suns. “I have to say, I don’t think they’re going to trade Devin Booker,” Windhorst said. “Devin Booker wants to be there. … Devin Booker wants to be there his whole career.”
- Doug Haller of The Athletic examines Phoenix’s trade deadline and path forward, writing that a Durant trade and roster reconstruction seem all but inevitable after the current group has failed to meet expectations.
- According to Bourguet, the Suns aren’t enthusiastic about any of their current options on the buyout market (Twitter link). Phoenix is unable to sign any buyout candidate who earns more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception because the team is over the second tax apron.
- On the same Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst, Bontemps and MacMahon all expressed surprise that Phoenix traded its unprotected 2031 first-round pick to Utah for three lower-value first-rounders without having a specific move lined up afterward. In a full story for ESPN.com (Insider link), a Western Conference scout told Bontemps he was just as confused by that trade. “The Phoenix piece is just fascinating,” the scout said. “They made that trade with the draft pick and didn’t have anything [ready] to do with it?“
- Appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne described the Suns’ locker room as “toxic” and said Wednesday’s shootaround in Oklahoma City was “very awkward, very weird” as players were unsure who would still be around past the deadline.
Hawks Trade De’Andre Hunter To Cavaliers
11:52 pm: The Hawks have officially confirmed that their trade with the Cavaliers is official, issuing a press release to announce the deal. The two teams ended up not needing a third team to take salary because Atlanta worked out separate deals to cut costs and stay out of tax territory.
12:45 pm: The Hawks and Cavaliers have reached an agreement on a trade that will send forward De’Andre Hunter to Cleveland, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta will acquire Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two pick swaps.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms Charania’s report (via Twitter), adding that the Hawks and Cavs are looking to include a third team in the deal as well.
According to Fedor (Twitter link), Cleveland will send Atlanta second-round picks in 2027, 2029 and 2031. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports (via Twitter) that the pick swaps will be first-rounders in 2026 and 2028.
As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, the Cavs will move out of the luxury tax as a result of the trade and will now be about $1.5MM below the tax line. They will have two open roster spots once the deal is official (they’ve only been carrying 14 players on their standard roster) and will eligible to sign any player on the buyout market.
The Hawks, meanwhile, will be approximately $2.1MM above the tax line if the current details of the trade remain in place, according to Gozlan (Twitter link). They also have 15 players on their standard roster, so they’ll have to release someone, expand the trade, or make a separate deal to dip below the tax.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), LeVert makes $16.6MM in 2024/25 and will be a free agent this summer. Niang makes $8.5MM this season and $8.2MM in ’25/26 before hitting free agency in 2026. Hunter earns $21.7MM in ’24/25, $23.3MM in ’25/26, and $24.7MM in ’26/27 before becoming eligible for free agency in 2027.
The Cavaliers have been linked to Hunter for years, with multiple reports indicating that the team was pursuing the former No. 4 overall pick ahead of today’s deadline. The 6’8″ forward is having the best season of his career, averaging 19.0 points and 3.9 rebounds on .461/.393/.858 shooting in 37 games (28.8 minutes per contest).
Hunter, 27, theoretically fills a need for a Cleveland team that has long been seeking a small forward with plus size and who can provide versatility on both ends of the court. He has come off the bench for most of ’24/25, but seems likely to start for the Cavaliers, considering what they’re trading away to acquire him.
LeVert, 30, and Niang, 31, have been rotation mainstays off the bench for Cleveland and have contributed to the team leading the league in three-point percentage — LeVert is at a career-best 40.5%, while Niang has converted 40.0% of his outside attempts. They were both reportedly positive presences in the locker room as well.
It’s unclear if the Hawks have interest in retaining either player long-term, as the draft assets seem to be the primary motivating factor for making the trade. Atlanta will also clear off a significant long-term salary in the coming years, giving the team more financial flexibility as it builds out the roster around Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.
It’s interesting that the Cavaliers decided to potentially disrupt the chemistry that has led them to the second-best record in the NBA (41-10), but they upgraded at a position of relative weakness while also staying out of the luxury tax, so the deal accomplishes two goals at once. They figure to be a taxpayer for years to come by adding Hunter’s long-term deal, but that was always likely after giving lucrative long-term extensions to Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen last offseason.
Regarding the pick swaps in the deal, the language on those is quite convoluted because the Hawks already traded swap rights on their 2026 first-rounder to the Spurs, while the Cavs gave swap rights on their 2026 pick first to the Timberwolves, then to the Jazz. Utah also has the right to swap 2028 first-rounders with Cleveland.
Essentially, in 2026, the Hawks will have the opportunity to swap whichever first-round pick they end up with for whatever pick the Cavs end up with. In 2028, Atlanta will be able to swap its own first-rounder for the least favorable of the Cavs’ and Jazz’s picks.
Luke Adams contributed to this story.
Hawks Trade Cody Zeller, Second-Rounder To Rockets
11:10 pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from the Hawks and Rockets. As expected, Houston waived Springer to complete the deal.
1:44 pm: The Hawks are trading veteran center Cody Zeller and Houston’s own 2028 second-round pick, which Atlanta controlled from a previous deal, to the Rockets, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Houston will acquire Zeller’s $3.5MM contract without having to send a player back in return by using a portion of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic hears (via Twitter) that Atlanta will acquire the draft rights to Alpha Kaba from Houston to complete the deal. The 29-year-old French forward was selected No. 60 overall back in 2017, but has spent his entire career overseas to this point.
It’s a straight salary-dump move for the Hawks, who will remain below the luxury tax line as a result of the deal. They were in danger of surpassing that threshold as a result of taking on additional salary in their De’Andre Hunter trade with Cleveland.
As for the Rockets, they’ll reacquire their own future second-rounder for taking on Zeller’s salary, which is non-guaranteed beyond 2024/25.
The No. 4 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte before becoming a journeyman over the past handful of years, spending time with Portland, Miami and New Orleans from 2021-24.
The Pelicans re-signed Zeller last summer to use his contract for salary-matching purposes in the Dejounte Murray trade — he has yet to play a game for the Hawks in ’24/25, having been listed as away from the team for personal reasons for much of the season.
Considering he hasn’t played at all this season and the Rockets already have three centers (Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams, Jock Landale), it wouldn’t be surprising if Houston decides to waive the 32-year-old big man in the coming days in order to open up a roster spot.
The Rockets will be waiving newly acquired Jaden Springer in order to finalize the trade, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle.
Suns To Revisit Kevin Durant Trade Talks In Summer?
Despite not having a no-trade clause, Suns star Kevin Durant essentially nixed a trade to the Warriors, but that didn’t prevent “several more teams” from inquiring about the 36-year-old ahead of today’s deadline, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on SportsCenter (Twitter video link).
Charania reiterates that Durant was caught off guard by seeing his name pop up in rumors and did not request to be traded. Durant will remain with the Suns for at least the rest of the 2024/25 season, but his future with the organization might be tenuous.
The Suns have the highest payroll in the NBA. However, they are currently just 25-25, clinging to the No. 10 seed in the West due to a tiebreaker with Golden State, which has an identical record (No. 9 Sacramento is also 25-25). If Phoenix is unable to turn its season around, Charania says the Suns will do a “full evaluation” of their roster.
Plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 states (via Twitter) that Phoenix wouldn’t move Durant unless it receives a combination of draft assets and young players in return. Gambadoro expects the Suns to field more inquiries on the 11-time All-NBA forward this summer.
Appearing on NBA Today (Twitter video link), former Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers, who now works for ESPN, said the Grizzlies were among the teams pursuing Durant. However, the two-time NBA Finals MVP didn’t want to play in Memphis, according to Myers.
Durant is earning $51.2MM in 2024/25, followed by $54.7MM in ’25/26. He’ll be eligible for a veteran extension when the ’25/26 league year begins on July 1.